support local farmers, celebrate chefs and create community
through the simple act of sharing a meal
our commitments
Always regenerative and locally sourced ingredients that support our farmers
Crafted with a whole lot of love and intention from our talented chefs
Good vibes, great people, and unforgettable meals to bring us all together
Meet our farmers, chefs & partners
We are committed to supporting local farmers and proudly source from our friends across Los Angeles County
As for many agriculture endeavors, this is a multi generational business that includes the whole family. What really sets them apart is its run as a Matriarchy - the sisters Ana and Maria Ayala run the show as a woman owned business. We host most of our events at the Fillmore Farm, a 29 acre plot that recently transitioned to practicing regenerative agriculture. Here they grow oranges, lemons, avocados, kale, carrots, passionfruit, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and so much more depending on the season. You can find their produce at most of the farmer’s markets in LA, OC and Ventura Counties - my favorites are the ones in Topanga, Larchmont Village, and Central Ave.
Ayala Family Farm | Fillmore and Oxnard
With almost a decade of culinary experience and a background shaped by years in Michelin-starred kitchens, Chef Matteo brings both skill and soul to his cooking. Trained in the traditions of fine dining, he’s known for his refined technique, seasonal ingredients, and deep respect for Italian flavors. While his roots are in elegant cuisine, Matteo’s true joy comes from cooking family-style meals under the stars—sharing simple, beautiful food that brings people together.
Matteo Lanza-Billetta | Resident Chef
As an advocate for regenerative agriculture, he is creating new bridges between the culinary world, farmers and the people who care to make an impact with their lifestyle and business choices. As a chef, he brings over a decade of diverse experience in catering and event production to offer a unique view of global seasonal cuisines. Mason’s passion comes from the deep desire to share the abundance and joys of the world with each person he meets on his journey.
Mason Hernandez | Founder & Chef
They have been with us since the beginning and embody every sense of the word partner. Moses, their LA ambassador and a good friend of mine has become an integral part of our farm dinners by bringing his bright energy, great music and delicious wines! Dancing Crow Vineyards is a small, family-owned and operated winery with a shared Californian winemaking legacy that spans four generations going back to the late 1800’s. They specialize in sustainably grown, French-style wines, utilizing vineyards from Lake and Mendocino Counties.
Dancing Crow Vineyards
Many people are surprised to hear that there’s farm land in Whittier - few know this as the birthplace of the Hass Avocado dating back to 1920. The Garcia Family has preserved a piece of this history in their private orchard where they are cultivating a specialty garden of unique heirloom varieties. As the name suggests, this is a hidden paradise amidst the city and we are truly fortunate to gather here for our farm dinners.
Villa Paraiso | Whittier
visit our farmers at the
farmers market
AYALA FAMILY FARM
PERENNIAL PASTURES RANCH
MCGRATH FAMILY FARM
BUKART ORGANICS
WEISER FAMILY FARMS
SUNCOAST FARMS
2 PEAS IN A POD
SMITH FARMS
TUTTI FRUTTI FARMS
AZ RANCH
COUNTRY FRESH HERBS
JM PRODUCE
GARCIA RUELAS FARMS
SUNRISE ORGANICS
G FARMS
Last summer at the Topanga Farmer’s market, Diego Ayala and I, both vendors, began talking about the struggles of operating a family run farm. They are responsible for everything - caring for the land, selling at the market and everything else that comes with running their business. Even with great products, competition is fierce in the Southern California produce industry.
Diego, being the only son of the Ayala Family, is an entrepreneur at heart and looking for new ways to generate income for his family. He shared with me that the water bill alone cost $5,000/month just to keep the avocado trees alive. He also told me that they just fixed up an area of their farm with hopes to rent out the space for special events like weddings and Quinceañeras. However, he didn’t really know how to get the word out.
This got my gears turning. Lately, I’ve been working as a private chef and dreaming of hosting my own events centered around the abundance of the farmer’s marketing in Los Angeles. So I pitched to Diego, why don’t we start hosting farm-to-table dinners? Usually, finding a venue is the most difficult and expensive part. If we bring people out to the farm, we can keep our costs low and create a truly unique experience that creates countless opportunities for people to connect with the farmer, their food and with each other.
With my background in bootstrapping start-ups, it was only a matter of setting the date and everything else would fall into place. Coincidentally, the next week I ran into my friend, Matteo, at the market, who’s an incredible Michelin trained chef. I shared our vision with him and pitched the idea of getting him to cook for us at the farm. It would be a challenge - we have to build an outdoor kitchen from scratch - but I promised it would be a fulfilling and fun process too. Lucky for us, Matteo had also been dreaming of doing something new and different with his skillset and this was the perfect chance.
We gave ourselves 6 weeks to plan, promote and host our first farm dinner. That was May 2024 and we haven’t stopped since. Granted, we do need to take a break during the winter when the weather is unpredictable on the farm with flash floods and high winds. But as soon as Ana Ayala gives us the green light, we ramp up and can’t wait to bring our community together for an unforgettable evening on the farm.
- Chef Mason | Founder & Chef
